Colonial Power and the Native:

Where to start from? What to say? Because colonialism or postcolonialism is a never ending issue. Postcolonial studies have a fashion in today's world. Ironically it has become a fashion to study the 'wretched class'.

The identity of the 'native' is constructed for the westerner's gaze. A community of the 'native' with some traditions and customs, with a family,  with a voice, and with a history, has been transformed into an object or let say 'oriental' by the colonizer.

For some last five-six centuries the world has been trained to see everything from a western perspective. The knowledge is generated by the West and a king of 'whiteman's myth' was created that everything of the West or White will definitely be good or rather say 'Best'. The phrase 'White man's burden ' was very popular. So the White took it as their responsibility to reform the 'other' world.

The world was divided. The West has become a metaphor of patriarchy and the non-western world are feminized.The culture of the native was not respected. The native became the synonym for barbaric and savage. The colonial power marginalized the native. In the process of transforming and reforming the natives, they were dehumanized.

The history of the 'native' was eradicated and was recreated by the colonizer. The 'native' is taught the language, religion, tradition, etc... of the colonizer. In that way the 'native' is translated. Translation means transforming the material identity. With Colonization the culture of the 'native' is transformed into the subordinated culture of a colonial regime, and all aspects of the original culture have to reconstructed and reshaped.

In that way the nation suffers from the death pangs as the culture, creativity, imagination, knowledge and history of the 'native' dies and it cannot be covered up. 

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein v/s Kenneth Branagh's movie Frankenstein:

Pre-viewing tasks:

·        What is gothic scientific fiction?

·        What is a frame narrative?

·        What is the point of view of the author?

·        What are the viewpoints of different characters?

·        Do you have confusion about the title of the novel?

·        Who do you think is the real monster, the Creator or the Creature?

·        What is tabula rasa?

·        What is the significance of the subtitle "The Modern Prometheus"?

·        Do you think Mary Shelley's Frankenstein stands on the brick of revolutionary changes?

While viewing the movie:

·        How is the beginning and the end of the movie?

·        Do you feel the effect of horror in the movie?

·        What do you think about the character of the monster in the movie?

·        What do you think about the conversation between Victor and the monster?

·        Do you think that some scenes are omitted or replaced by other scene? How is the effect of these changes?

·        Do you think the director has used appropriate symbols in the movie?

Post-viewing tasks:

·        What is the difference between the movie and the novel?

·        Does the movie help you to understand narrative structure of the novel?

·        Do you think the movie is helpful to understand the viewpoints of different characters?

·        What do you think about the creation of lady monster in the novel and Elizabeth's look of a monster in the movie?

·        Think about Victor's acceptance of Elizabeth and rejection of the monster.

·        Do you think the director is faithful to the novel?